historic records of her country; originally it was Maximilienne Wilhelmina Augusta Sophia Maria, or more commonly the Princess Mary of Oldenburg, whose extreme affability of demeanour, and kindliness of disposition, during her days of maidenhood, completely won the affections of the good people of Darmstadt. At the age of sixteen, this beautiful, and, as it appears, unsophisticated girl was seen by the Cesarewitch Alexander, when on his travels to various European courts, like Cœlebs, in search of a wife. This was in the year 1840, or thereabout; the prince at once became enamoured of the Hessian beauty, and within a year they were married; the princess, as we have intimated, changing her name to one more in accordance with Russian state etiquette, and her altered circumstances.
It is a matter of history that this illustrious lady, who has rendered herself no less beloved by the Russian people, than she was by those of her German fatherland, ascended the throne with her husband, Alexander the Second, on the death of the Emperor Nicholas, in 1855. She is said to be sincerely desirous of maintaining the peace now so happily established, and of assisting by all means in her power the efforts of those who would enlighten and civilize the many dark places of that mighty empire, over which her husband is called to rule.
The present Empress of Russia was born on the 8th. of August, 1824; she is the daughter of Louis the Second, the late Grandduke of Hesse, and was married to the Emperor Alexander, on the 16th. of April, 1841: she is the mother of five children, three sons and two daughters. Her elder brother is the present reigning Duke of Hesse, and is said to have recently seconded his sister's efforts to bring about a restoration of peace.
MARIA ANTOINETTA AMELIA,
Duchess of Saxe Gotha, daughter of Ulric of Saxe Meiningen, was born in 1672. Her talents as a performer on the piano, and as a composer, would have been creditable to a professed artist. Several of her canzoni, and also variations for the piano, have been published; but her most important work is a symphony in ten parts. She died towards the beginning of this century.
MARIA CHRISTINA,
Queen Dowager and ex-regent of Spain, daughter of Francisco Genari, King of Naples, was born in 1806. She was of the Bourbon line of princes, consequently a distant relation of Ferdinand the Seventh, King of Spain, to whom she was married, December, 1829. Ferdinand was then forty-five years of age, coarse, vulgar, and sensual; he had been married three times, and had treated each of his successive wives with the grossest abuse,—one was even supposed to have died by poison, administered by his hand; his constitution was exhausted by a dissolute life, and his mind, always inferior, had become nearly fatuous. Christina was in the beautiful bloom of youth and health, with a vigorous, though ill-regulated mind, and very captivating manners. It was not possible she could either love or esteem Ferdinand; but who had ever taught her these feelings were required towards her husband? Ambition and policy are the governing motives of royal (and,
